WINiT by GBTA is a global network of men and women who provide support and empower women to take the next step in their careers. WINiT supports gender equity in the business travel industry by helping women thrive in their careers through mentorship, education and development, network and community. The WINiT Top 50 recognizes women in business travel-related careers who are reinventing themselves and the workplace by driving culture shifts and changes in their fields.
The Rising Female Leader award celebrates early career and professional women who are high-performing future leaders. “I feel incredibly honored to be recognized for an award that’s about lifting up other women,” said Ali Prejean Smith. “Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have key mentors empower and encourage me to step into leadership roles, take risks and dream big. It’s always been a goal of mine to do the same for others as my career continues.” Prejean has been involved with GBTA since 2014, as a GBTA Ladders mentee, alumni adviser, sub-committee member, and now program co-chair. She joined BCD in 2018, after beginning her travel career with ATPI Group, a travel management and events company.
The WINiT Top 50: FollowHer Legends and Mentors award recognizes an exemplary leader who has been dedicated and committed to advancing women in the business travel industry. Teri Miller has built a reputation for leadership and global influence over her 35 years in the industry. Today, she leads the Global Client Team responsible for optimizing overall programs, including consulting and meetings, for many of BCD Travel’s largest global customers. Her recent speaking session at GBTA Dallas 2023 – “Can Women Really Have It All?” – challenged women to start defining what “all” means to them and emphasized finding and pursuing their passions.
The GBTA Foundation received award nominations from June 1 through August 31, 2023, which were then reviewed by the Foundation’s Selection Committee using a 10-point scale. Nominee scores were averaged, and the highest-scoring nominee in each category won the award. WINiT’s October 26 event in New York will honor all of the 2023 winners, who range from entry level positions to the C-Suite across 32 companies from around the world, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Ukraine, Australia, Singapore, India and Uruguay.
Learn more about WINit here: https://www.gbta.org/category/winit/
